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The Butterfly Effect-Maoyuu Maou Yuusha Episode 5

In chaos theory, the butterfly effect to describe how small changes to a seemingly unrelated thing or condition can affect large, complex systems. The name of the effect, coined by Edward Lorenz, comes from the example of a hurricane’s formation being dependent on whether or not a butterfly had flapped its wings several weeks before. In essence, Maoyuu Maou Yuusha is a project in-motion with the purpose to cause a butterfly effect. But instead of butterflies, we have two unlikely partners, that with every move, are setting forth a chain of events that are rippling across the Demon and Human worlds. While their actions are not as minute as the flap of butterfly’s wings, they are small changes that are accelerated from the actions of two people. But can their actions lead to a better world, or one in total ruin?

We find our world in a precarious spot. In Gateway City in the Demon World, we find the occupying forces to be less than “holy”, as the Holy Key Knights have left the local’s living in fear of their wraith. While in the human world, a new army forms to take back the island stronghold held by the demon army. The focal point for both sides of the conflict is starting to reach a boiling point. As Hero looks for a way to resolve the conflict in the Demon world, he realizes that his role is to make a path, so that those with the right fortitude can find their way to resolving the conflict. While in the Human world, the realization that blindly running into conflict will lead to nowhere has left the newly crowned Winter King looking for a better way to achieve their goals.

And while our two protagonists make headway in their endeavors, they can never be true to themselves when around each other. While their romance is silly, and awkward to watch, I still find it enjoyable. While most anime romances are built around a ridiculous harem, and plenty of panty shots. The slowly growing love between the two of them makes for a welcome break from the ever changing world.

The collision between the efforts of the Demon King and Hero are about to see their fruition. While this episode quickly moves through a number of scenes, what is made clear is that the biggest change yet is coming. Their influence is spreading like an infection, with the people they interact with opening their eyes to a different way of doing things. And as this series begins to reach it’s climax, can it really answer the question: Can two people really change the world?

6 thoughts on “The Butterfly Effect-Maoyuu Maou Yuusha Episode 5”

The way they introduced the butterfly effect in this episode just contributed to my general feeling of Maou’s smugness more than anything else. “I’m going to change the world… by educating these primitive peasants, showing them how their religion is a bunch of superstitions and that their wars are caused purely by people who want to make money. These louts don’t even know about potatoes or crop rotation! Just a little bit of work and I’ll fix the world with the butterfly effect!” It’s like a middle schooler was transported into another world and decided to solve all their problems with what she learned in seventh grade economics class. It strikes me as a form of colonialism.

I’ll agree that the way the concept is introduced was clumsy. But the way the writing and directing has gone in this adaptation, it doesn’t surprise me. But the whole point of the story is that she is going to change the world, and has the knowledge to do it. If she wasn’t capable of doing that, then this story would be pointless. She is the catalyst for change. What you see as smugness, others might see as supreme confidence. I disagree somewhat on your interpretation of her “middle schooler” attitude. It’s more naivety than anything. There’s no mention of “a little bit of work”. There is plenty of acknowledgement of the efforts that lie ahead. As for colonialism, I don’t see how that’s the case at all. Colonialism typically doesn’t involve an imparting of ideas; its more about invasion and exploitation.

I must confess that sometimes I find it hard to reconcile the Demon King’s encyclopedic knowledge and talents with her astonishing naivete in the craft of love. The contrast is a tad jarring sometimes. Sometimes I get the feeling that there’s 2 screenwriters at work here.

Well seeing Hero get into a real (and silly) fight with his fiance was nice, just having them have ONE romantic moment improved my outlook on this series by leaps and bounds. I know Demon King is looking for intelligent and peaceful ways of changing the world, but I think this show would be more enjoyable with a bit more focus on Hero and his missions. Despite the grand focus of this series, I appreciated seeing his ground-level view of the situation.

And you’ve hit on my biggest frustration with this adaptation. They have, on more than one occasion, completely glossed over Hero’s work and role. They kept abridging and abbreviating everything he does to focus the plot elsewhere. There have been many times where I’m shaking my fist at this director, wondering what is going through his mind when he does that.